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Top popular streetwear brands
#1. Adidas
The Brand: Following the inception of its iconic 3-stripe design in 1949, Adidas was on the fast track to success. In the ‘80s, Run-D.M.C. helped the brand to gain notoriety, after commonly being sighted in one of their iconic bomber jackets. With improving technology parallel to the brand’s innovation, Adidas has always been a strong contender in the streetwear market.
Need To Know: The brand name “Adidas” actually comes from the founder’s name, Adolf Dassler, using the first parts of both his first and last names.
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#2. Nike
The Brand: Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman founded “Blue Ribbon Sports” in 1964, which would later become Nike, in 1971. Nike founded its very first Art Department, in 1983. Believing in the significance of psychology in relation to design and color, this team works in house to contribute to ongoing innovative projects and research.
Need To Know: Today, Nike Inc. doesn’t just represent Nike. They have added Converse and Jordan brands to their portfolio, aiming to provide the same fierce innovation they have done for so many decades for their namesake brand.
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#3. The North Face
The Brand: Founded in 1966, The North Face remains one of the most popular streetwear brands to date. With nature as their main source of inspiration, the brand focuses heavily on sustainability initiative to protect the outdoor they base their products on.
Need To Know: Not just an apparel company, The North Face is currently working with different nonprofit and charitable organizations to bring access to adventure to as many people as possible. They are highly aware of the benefits of the outdoors and want to share them with the community as much as possible.
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#4. New Balance
The Brand: New Balance was founded in 1906, by English-born Boston resident, William J. Riley. With starting from humble beginnings as an arch-support company, Riley would have no idea how iconic his brand would stand to become. Now serving your everyday athlete, along with some of the world’s best, New Balance has expanded into a full-blown streetwear brand, gaining notoriety worldwide with their infamous “NB” logo.
Need To Know: New Balance operates their business based on core values. They make a point to ensure their associates represent the diverse population of the world. Fostering such a diverse environment allows them to create a safe space that allows creativity to thrive.
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#5. Stüssy
The Brand: World famous streetwear brand Stüssy found its foothold the California surf scene of the early ‘90s. Setting out to a create a feeling no other brand could offer, Shawn Stüssy brought attention to certain subcultures that allowed for a certain connections that other brands at the time failed to offer.
Need To Know: In order to create a vibe that can be felt just from looking at their designs, Stüssy draws inspiration from the world’s leading creatives in music and art, along with the skating and surfing community.
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Top underground streetwear brands
#1. Profound Co.
The Brand: Profound Co. is a lesser-known brand founded in 2008 by Faraz Zaidi. Although the brand might be considered “underground,” they have faced a rapidly increasing expansion since their inception. Merging classic lifestyle “ethos” with luxury fashion, Zaidi creates an experience with his carefully crafted designs.
Need To Know: Understanding that creativity cannot simply be mapped out, Zaidi encourages creation born out of feelings, energy, and moods. The timeline of an idea’s inception to the physical piece is as short as two weeks, which sounds chaotic but leads to an innovative and unique collection that would not otherwise be designed.
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#2. Alien Body
The Brand: Based in Brooklyn, Alien Body was not founded as just another fashion brand. Musician and artist Travis Egedy, also known as “Pictureplane,” founded Alien Body to explore different ideas in the medium of textiles. Drawing inspiration from outcasts and rebels, Alien Body seeks to connect with those who are often disconnected. Proving that great art always has an audience.
Need To Know: All clothes are printed in Los Angeles, California, home to an incredible streetwear and underground art scene.
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#3. Neighborhood
The Brand: Japanese underground streetwear brand Neighborhood was founded by Shinsuke Takizawa in Tokyo in 1994. Boasting industrial strength, this Japanese streetwear brand draws inspiration right at home, with Japan being a major player in the innovative streetwear fashion community. Takizawa’s first time in streetwear influencing capital of Harajuku landed at the height of Tokyos 1980s streetwear scene.
Need To Know: While it might be more difficult to keep brands under wraps now with the technology we have, Neighborhood spent almost two decades undetected by the public, with only the most fashion forward buyers knowing about their stuff.
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#4. Gosha Rubchinskiy
The Brand: Founded as a low-key graphics tee business in 2008, Gosha Rubchinskiy aims to shed light on the culture of Soviet youth that most people either don’t know about or don’t see enough of. Drawing inspiration from the mundane everyday, he breathes life back into a culture that might otherwise go largely unnoticed.
Need To Know: Thinking he was starting something modest and personal to him, Gosha Rubchinskiy wend on to be noticed by some of the biggest players in international fashion. Rubchunskiy’s designs have put him in sights of publications like editorial powerhouse Vogue.
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#5. Warren Lotas
The Brand: Warren Lotas is a brand to watch. Founded by Warren himself in his first year of his undergraduate studies, Warren Lotas was born out of a desire to bring heavy metal to the streets. After noticing how popular merch was in the heavy metal community, he believe the streetwear market was missing something.
Need To Know: Many celebrities connected with this niche brand, including Wiz Khalifa, who has been spotted in a few of the brand’s sweatshirts and tees.
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Top cheap streetwear brands
#1. Carhartt
The Brand: Made by hardworking people, for hardworking people, Carhartt aims to provide function so others can live out their purpose. Founded, owned, and maintained by the same family since, the Carhartt values are evident in the quality and accessibility of the brand.
Need To Know: Carhartt is not afraid of responsibility. In fact, they have spent their entire existence ensuring their production measures are sustainable and supportive of the United States and licensed factories around the world.
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#2. Denim Tears
The Brand: Founded by dynamic artist and creative mind Tremaine Emory, Denim Tears designs nod to the Alvin Ailey dance theater, from which the artist draws much inspiration.
Need To Know: Over the summer the brand announced an exciting collaboration with streetwear powerhouse Champion. The attention to detail in movement that is seen in the Denim Tears brand makes them a perfect contender for a collaboration project with a brand like Champion.
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#3. Huf
The Brand: Known to the world as a wildly successful skating and lifestyle brand, found Kieth Hufnagel had no idea where his inspiration would take him as a young kid skating the streets of New York City. After moving to San Francisco in 1992, Huf would eventually be sold in its very on boutique in 2002. The success of the Huf brand truly comes down to a passion project that connected with the right audience at the right time, in the perfect place.
Need To Know: After gaining some notoriety, Huf became an elusive, sought-after brand for artists, skaters, and creative of all types that were drawn to the bay area.
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#4. Obey
The Brand: Obey was not born out of a desire to add more fashion to the world. Rather, Shepard Fairey and his work in activism led to the founding of Obey Clothing in 2001. During his time at the Rhode Island School of Design, Fairey put together a street art campaign using stickers that eventually turned into the design prototypes for his apparel.
Need To Know: In order to incite true feelings with his work, Fairey uses a strong sense of sarcasm to draw attention to propaganda of all sorts all over the world. His strong imagery points out the flaws of blindly followed political messaging and challenges people to think differently.
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#5. H&M
The Brand: H&M was born in 1947 in Sweden, out of a need for trendy fashions at an affordable price. Erling Persson started the company by selling strictly women’s clothing, naming the store “Hennes” which is the Swedish word for “hers.” The H&M brand caters to all walks of life today, but that initial focus on women is still very evident in their branding today.
Need To Know: Most recently, the brand announced a collaboration with Smiley, a popular counterculture symbol. This collection will touch on classic streetwear inspiration of the 90s, keeping in mind the idea of defiance rooted in optimism.
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Top black-owned streetwear brands
#1. Billionaire Boys Club
The Brand: Famous recording artist Pharrell Williams founded his brand Billionaire Boys Club in 2003 with business partner Nigo. Wanting to bring luxury to the accessible streetwear market, they are now known as a worldwide brand that has gained a lot of respect in circles of music and culture. The brand’s site also includes other labels that fit in the company ethos.
Need To Know: Created with Pharrell’s motto in mind, the brand lives by the mantra “Wealth is of the heart and mind. Not the pocket.”
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#2. Golf Wang (Tyler, the Creater)
The Brand: Tyler, the Creator founded his American streetwear brand Golf Wang in 2011 and continues to inspire his fans and fashion enthusiasts alike. Elevating the experience one would typically get from a rapper’s merch, Golf Wang is so much more than that. It is a creative expression in a different medium for Tyler.
Need To Know: Co-designer Phil Toselli says of the rapper’s creative process, “It’s funny to watch him, because he’s not trained in any way. He just has wild ideas that he taught himself to make into reality. He’s very rapid-fire, bouncing off walls as hyper a s-it. It just works.”
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#3. 10 Deep
The Brand: 10.Deep was founded in 1995 as an independent streetstyle fashion label. Scott Sasso found inspiration from visual subcultures that often drew attention from other great artists. The brand began as a need for authentic expression and turned into something that inspires others everyday.
Need To Know: The name 10.Deep is not without meaning. The founder explains how it represents 10 people he found to be compelling in the growth of streetwear in fashion in the 1990s. It can also be a reference to a person’s 10 fingers, as they represent the ability to do, make, and create.
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#4. 4Hunnid (YG)
The Brand: Founded in 2015 by Compton rapper YG (or Keenon D.R Jackson), 4Hunnid clothing embodies the classic style of a streetwear brand. Sold at Zumiez, a classic skating, surf, and snowboard shop, 4Hunnid reaches an audience that isn’t limited to listeners of rap music.
Need To Know: With this brand YG hopes to tell stories that he might usually tell in his lyrics, through his clothes. The Brand name stands for “forever one hundred,” which serves as an inspirational message to live authentically in the best way.
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#5. Yeezy (Kanye West)
The Brand: Now a widely-known brand, Yeezy represents Kanye West’s streetwear brand, heavily supported and collaborated on by the team at Adidas.
Need To Know: Although the Adidas brand is a highly accessible, cost-conscious brand, Yeezy definitely takes them in a different direction with this label collaboration. Most items sell out almost instantly and anyone waiting for the next drop should get on the email list or patient await the minimalist countdown provided on the Yeezy homepage. You literally won’t be able to see anything else.
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Top luxury streetwear brands
#1. Vetements
The Brand: Born as a “design collective” in 2014 by Georgian designers Guram and Demna Gvasalia, Vetements seeks to put out elevated fashions and trends inspired by the everyday man and woman. The company embodies a simplistic style with an air of mystery that is hard to put a finger on.
Need To Know: If you aren’t familiar with French, you might not know that the word “vetements” literally translates to “clothing.” Sometimes keeping things simple and straightforward really is key!
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#2. Heron Preston
The Brand: Namesake brand Heron Preston was launched in 2017 by the “youth culture phenomenon” who has seen his ideas heard by the likes of Kanye West and Virgil Abloh. Working a creative his whole life, the artist, DJ, content creator, and creative director seeks to use his brand to make connections with an emerging market in youth culture and streetwear.
Need To Know: Fall/Winter 2021/22 will see an exciting new collaboration from the fashion visionary as Heron Preston dropped his Calvin Klein collection on October 21st of this year.
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#3. Aimé Leon Dore
The Brand: Based in Queens and founded by Teddy Santis in March 2014, Aimé Leon Dore aims to portray a strong yet simple, unique aesthetic .
Need To Know: Upon visiting the brand’s website, if you go into their about section, they even have a 1994 Nas “Illmatic” album directly linked as “more info.” Not only is the label trying to create a strong and simple look for their customer, they have an album intended for you to listen to as you wear your looks down the street, the same ones the inspired Santis and Nas themselves.
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#4. A Bathing Ape
The Brand: A Bathing Ape, or “BAPE” for short, was founded in 1993 by Nigo in Japan. An all-encompassing brand, BAPE offers fashion-forward streetwear for women, men, and children.
Need To Know: When it comes to streetwear, a name like “A Bathing Ape” is sure to cause some curiosity, and there’s reason behind it. Apparently, it is very typical for Japanese people to bathe in lukewarm water. This notion coupled with Nigo’s fascination with Planet of the Apes led to the unexpected and unique high end brand we know today.
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#5. Off-White
The Brand: Founded in Italy by fashion genius Virgil Abloh in 2012 in Milan, Off-White seeks to challenge the grey area between black and white. Virgil’s optimism and desire to create a safe space is clear when he explains “Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself.” His designs are curiously rooted in sarcasm and might not be understood right away, but that doesn’t stop Rihanna from wearing his pieces or online resellers pricing them at over 400% of their value.
Need To Know: The brand’s founder Virgil Abloh tragically passed away on November 28th, 2021 after a private battle with cancer. His legacy and impact will forever live on in his work in various communities to bring equality to the fields of art and design.